Milecastle 19 (Matfen Piers) was a milecastle of the Roman Hadrian's Wall. Sited just to the east of the hamlet of Matfen Piers, the milecastle is today covered by the B6318 Military Road. The milecastle is notable for the discovery of an altar by Eric Birley in the 1930s. An inscription on the altar is one of the few dedications to a mother goddess found in Roman Britain, and was made by members of the First Cohort of Varduli from northern Spain. The presence of the Vardulians at this milecastle has led to debate amongst archaeologists over the origins of troops used to garrison the wall. A smaller altar was found at one of the two associated turrets. Construction Milecastle 19 was a long-axis milecastle with Type III gateways. Such milecastles were thought to have been constructed by the legio VI Victrix who were based in Eboracum (York). The milecastle lies east of the hamlet of Matfen Piers on a section of the narrow wall and, though part of it lies beneath the modern Military Road, is visible as a substantial rise in the hedgerow and as a 0.15m high platform in a cereal field to the south of the road. The milecastle measures east to west and north to south. It is known to be situated on an outcrop of degraded sandstone, either naturally occurring or placed for this purpose. Excavations and investigations 1858 – The low platform marking the milecastle is noted by Henry MacLauchlan in his survey of the wall. 1867 – John Collingwood Bruce also notes the presence of a platform in his book The Roman Wall. 1931–32 – Excavated by Eric Birley and the North of England Excavation Committee during work on the Carlisle to Newcastle road. The north gate was found to have vanished, though its foundations remained, and a hearth discovered at the western side of the southern end of the passage suggested that this gate was partially blocked during the Roman era. The only side wall to remain was part of the western passage wall, though footings indicated that this milecastle had type III gates, and a south wall suggested a narrow wall construction. A Roman altar was discovered immediately outside the south gate of the milecastle. 1935 – Excavated by Frank G. Simpson. 1980s – The wall of an internal building within the milecastle was exposed by ploughing. 14 July 1997